The West Virginia and Regional History Center recently acquired the papers of Preston County school teacher Pearl Cuppett (catalog number A&M 4196). As a record of her activity in the schools of Pine Run (1915-1916), Victory (1916-1917), and Mountain View (1917-1918), they provide a snapshot of rural West Virginia school life. The following will sample some of the material in this collection. Read the rest of this entry »

Blog post by Stewart Plein, Rare Book Librarian. This post originally appeared on the Books Tell You Why blog.

How is stereotype developed and how is it spread? Historically, books have played a role as purveyors of stereotype, both intentionally and unintentionally. It’s easy to think of a book’s text as promoting stereotypical points of view, but the book’s cover design is just as influential.

In the nineteenth and early twentieth century, book cover design was an unwitting influence on the development of the Appalachian stereotype. The artistic portraits of Appalachia and Appalachians found on the covers of books widely dispersed to reading audiences across the nation had a lasting impact on the stereotypical image of Appalachia.

Much like the travel writing of earlier times, local color literature, a popular style in its day, was designed to provide the reading public with intimate glimpses into specific regions across the nation. Harriet Beecher Stowe and Sarah Orne Jewett wrote of the regional flavor of New England. Mark Twain and Bret Harte captured the excitement of the West, and writers like John Fox, Jr. and Mary Noailles Murfree, who wrote under the pen name Charles Egbert Craddock, were among the many authors who wrote of the Appalachian region.

In the case of Appalachian local color literature, the decorated book cover and local color writing converged at a specific point in time that was crucial to the formation of Appalachian stereotypes. The decorative cover was an important element of the book, serving to reinforce the image of Appalachia as portrayed by local colorists. In this regard, the book’s image was as important as the image provided by the printed text in the development of the stereotypical image of Appalachia and Appalachians.

When we look at the book cover in partnership with the text, we begin to understand the important role book binding design played in the development of the stereotypes and misconceptions of the Appalachian region and its people. Designed as a marketing tool, the book cover served as an attractive means to draw the prospective purchaser to the book. As such, the book’s cover became the controlling influence. This influence was exerted from the very beginning, with the publishers’ continual desire over the course of a century to make the book attractive and appealing to consumers.

This integration of image and Appalachia on the cover of books began with the reconstruction of Appalachia as the American frontier in the mid nineteenth century. During this time period, as America became more urban, there was a ready market for books that offered tales of the frontier featuring rugged backwoodsmen like Daniel Boone. It was a time of looking back and longing for the frontier spirit.

The great frontier hero, Daniel Boone, on the cover of McKnight’s Our Western Border, shown above, is surrounded by a complex wilderness. In this design Boone carefully leans over a mountain cliff, looking down to the river below, watching Indians canoeing upstream. He is pictured as a competent woodsman and explorer, living life free, without restraint, in verdant forests filled with danger. It was a time idealized by the book.

But soon, book cover designs on Appalachian local color literature would change as they began to mirror the prevailing attitudes about Appalachians and the Appalachian region, changing over time as attitudes changed. The idea of the mountaineer as backwoods philosopher/woodsman evolved as America became more urbanized while Appalachia’s development was seen as static.

The rugged mountaineer on the cover of Lloyd’s Red Head, (1903) above, crouches with his rifle at the ready. Is he expecting trouble? Is he lying in wait for an ambush? To know the answer to these questions we must read the book. The cover draws us in, but no longer is the mountain man shown as master of the wilderness. His depiction has changed to one of an outlaw, rather than a pioneer. The design of the book cover is the first tool used to draw us in, to convey some idea of the story itself, and it provides clues to the pervasive ideas of turn of the century culture and attitudes.

As the Appalachian stereotype changed and evolved, portrayals of the mountain man often fell into three distinct and recognizable categories: hunting, feuding, and moonshining. These concepts are, in essence, three images that were repeatedly used on the covers of books and it is these images that helped to develop the stereotypical portrait of the Appalachian mountain man we know today.

Hunting

The mountain man, although depicted here as a hunter, is not shown in command of the wilderness, but as a hunter/gatherer/provider. The mountaineer on this cover returns at the end of the day with a full sack, a gun over his shoulder, and his dog by his side (below).

Feuding

The rising smoke of a recently fired rifle is the key to these images, below. To the world outside of Appalachia the feud is now recognized as the only form of mountain justice.

Moonshining

Ever on the lookout, the mountain man is seen protecting his still from advancing revenuers, below.

Preserving the Historical Record of Appalachia

As our tastes in literature have changed over time, these books, once prominent best sellers, have fallen into disrepair through heavy use followed by long periods of neglect. In libraries, most have been stripped of their original bindings and rebound. The few that remain are prime candidates for preservation.

By collecting, examining and preserving these books, bound with images that reflect nineteenth and early twentieth century ideas on a specific region and its people, we can view the development of stereotype through the progressive history of idea.

The cover image serves as a gateway to the text, and it is the first indication of the book’s contents. As a marketing tool, the cover design was a compelling way to attract customers and provide a glimpse of the book’s contents. It is the combined image, the book’s text as well as its binding, which served to promote an idea and make it a real and lasting concept.

These books, once commonly found in every home and library are now fragile resources over 100 years old. Preserving these books is important as representations of the historical record of Appalachia in material and pop culture and as evidence of cultural viewpoints that linger to the present day.

Editor’s Note [from Books Tell You Why]: Many thanks to Stewart Plein for her insightful post and for sharing it with the Books Tell You Why community. Below, please find a list of the books shown above (in order of appearance), as well as links to a journal article published by Ms. Plein which she used as reference for this post. If you have questions or thoughts about this topic, leave her a comment!

Spivak, John Louis. The Devil’s Brigade; The Story of the Hatfield-McCoy Feud. NY: Brewer and Warren, Inc., 1930.

McKnight, Charles. Our Western Border, in Early Pioneer Days: containing the true account of western frontier life and struggle in the most heroic age of America . . . Chicago: Educational Company, 1902.

Spaulding, Arthur Whitefield. The Men of the Mountains; the Story of the Southern Mountaineer and His Kin of the Piedmont; with an account of some of the agencies of progress among them. Nashville, Tenn., Atlanta, Ga. Southern Pub. Association, 1915.

Seventy five years ago today, on December 7, 1941, a date that lives on in infamy, the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, was attacked by the Japanese. Over 2400 US servicemen were killed and close to 1200 were injured. Cruisers, destroyers, and a significant number of US aircraft were destroyed. Eight US battleships were damaged including West Virginia’s name sake, the USS West Virginia. Despite the devastating attack, West Virginia was repaired and sent back into duty, earning the moniker, “The Phoenix of Pearl Harbor.”

Early scientific journals were the private notebooks of scientists. Luxurious replicas of two notebooks by 15th Century Italian artist, mathematician, inventor and writer Leonardo da Vinci are available to examine in the WVU Libraries Rare Book Room. Leonardo wrote in Italian and using mirrored writing, writing backwards from right to left and illustrating with drawings. The notebooks contain his observations and brainstorming on multiple subjects in text, diagrams, and illustrations.

In 1857, William Cooper Stiles, Jr. (1839-1896) arrived in Wood County with plans to search for suitable oil fields for his new enterprise. The sandy soil of Wood County seemed to Stiles to be perfectly suited for his plans. Stiles purchased 2,000 acres in Wood County in 1864, just as the Civil War was drawing to a close, and formed the Volcano Oil and Coal Company. Stiles commenced drilling on the undeveloped land and then began to lay out the town of Volcano. His future employees and their families would need residences and businesses with access to markets. At its peak, the population of Volcano reached just short of 4,000 residents. Read the rest of this entry »

I thought Rush Dew Holt, Sr. would be a fitting blog post subject, considering our upcoming elections. (Remember to vote on November 8!) Holt is generally credited with being the youngest popularly elected senator in the U.S. Senate. However, that does not mean he was the youngest senator—depending on what you read, he is cited as being fourth or fifth youngest. These gentlemen actually joined the Senate under the radar, since they all broke the rule that Senators must be 30 years old (U.S. Constitution, article 1, section 3, clause 3).

From highways to buildings and even a giant radio astronomy telescope, U. S. Sen. Robert. C. Byrd left his mark on West Virginia. The eloquent Byrd, the only U. S. Senator to work his way through law school while in office, often held his pocket Constitution high as he argued for it, not the emotion of the day, to rule Senate votes.

“We are thrilled to be part of HathiTrust and bring its rich benefits to our University community,” Dean of Libraries Jon Cawthorne said. “We will have digital access to a collection of amazing digital titles from leading universities across the nation and beyond.”

HathiTrust is a partnership of academic and research libraries collaborating to preserve and provide digital access their institutions special collections. The group draws its name from the Hindi word for elephant, hathi, symbolic of the memory, wisdom and strength evoked by the animal, as well as the huge undertaking of gathering prized resources from research libraries around the world.

On September 7, 2016, fans across the world celebrated the 50th anniversary of the influential sci-fi television series, Star Trek. Several staff members of the West Virginia & Regional History Center happen to be devoted admirers of the show (i.e., Trekkies) and we appreciate any connection between Star Trek and our work. Recently, Curator Stewart Plein blogged about the newly acquired Star Trek miniature book that is part of the Center’s Rare Book Collection. The miniature is definitely fascinating, but it is not the only Star Trek material at the West Virginia & Regional History Center. Read the rest of this entry »

The WVU Libraries’ Veterans Outreach Program (WVUL-VOP) is hosting a luncheon program for student veterans on Friday at noon in the Downtown Campus Library, Room 2036.

The talk, entitled “Mindfulness 101,” is geared toward student veterans and will provide an introduction to mindfulness and offer personal applications for the practice. The guest speaker is a physician and veteran. Dr. Michael Brumage, MD, MPH, FACP, is the executive director/health officer for the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department. He served in the U.S. Army for more than 20 years.

November is Mindful Mountaineers Month at WVU. This program will be a preview of the special events that are coming up each day in the month ahead. For more information, contact Carroll W. Wilkinson, director of Strategic Library Initiatives at WVU Libraries, at cwilkins@wvu.edu or 304-293-0308.

This year, 2016, marks the 50th anniversary of the iconic science fiction TV show, Star Trek, which debuted in 1966. Today, following an unprecedented series of spin offs, the first Star Trek is referred to as TOS or The Original Series. To celebrate Star Trek’s 50th anniversary I would like to share with you a new acquisition to the Rare Book Room in the West Virginia and Regional History Center, a miniature book titled Star Trek: A Television Series, 1966-69.

By Danielle Emerling and Jane LaBarbara, Assistant Curators at the West Virginia & Regional History Center. Reposted from Archiving West Virginia.

October is American Archives Month, and for the first time, archives in our state are collaborating to celebrate “West Virginia Archives Month.” Archives from around the Mountain State will contribute blog posts to this site, host events, and invite everyone to visit and experience the rich history and culture of our state.

West Virginia Archives Month is a perfect time to reflect on what archivists do and why it matters. As the building blocks of history, archives are a vital part of our lives and our democracy. At a recent event, Lin-Manuel Miranda of Hamilton fame succinctly described the importance of archives when he said, “Without these documents, without these gems and genuine artifacts, there’s no story to tell.” Read the rest of this entry »

The images, taken by the Senate Photographic Studio, begin with the Senator’s first swearing-in ceremony in January 1985 and help tell the story of his many contributions in the U.S. Congress. The photographs capture the Senator through the years speaking at press events, presiding over committee hearings, and attending functions on Capitol Hill. He was photographed with policy leaders, business directors, and many of his congressional colleagues.

Vice President George H. W. Bush administering oath to Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller. Rockefeller is joined by his wife, Sharon, Senator Robert C. Byrd and former Senator Jennings Randolph, whom he succeeded. Senate Photographic Studio, January 15, 1985.

The West Virginia and Regional History Center recently acquired the daybook, or daily accounting log, for Morgantown tailor Sanford Pickenpaugh, who according to Ancestry, was born in Monongalia County on 30 October 1811, and passed away on 27 June 1898. He married Aneliza Ramsey (1818-1899). Dating from ca. 1838-1840, the daybook includes the names of the early residents of Morgantown, many of whom were descended from the earliest pioneers. Read the rest of this entry »

Representatives from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office will visit West Virginia University on Thursday, Sept. 29, and Friday, Sept. 30, to provide training on patents and trademarks.

WVU Libraries and the Health Sciences Innovation Center will co-sponsor the program on Sept. 29, 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., at the Evansdale Library. Sessions will include an introduction to intellectual property, hands-on training for patent and trademark searches, and a panel discussion on services available at WVU for inventors.

William McKinley (1843 – 1901), the twenty-fifth president, was the third U.S. President to be assassinated, after Lincoln and Garfield. He died this month, September 14, 1901, six days after a disgruntled anarchist shot him while he shook hands with the public at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York. Read the rest of this entry »

Looking at Appalachia is a juried collection of images by amateur and professional photographers directed by West Virginia native Roger May. It chronicles life in the 13-state region more than 50 years after President Lyndon Johnson’s War on Poverty. The pictures line three walls on the Library’s first floor.

Looking at Appalachia provides a glimpse into the 13-state region, photo by Alyssa Wright.

Hollow is an award-winning web-based interactive documentary created by WVU alumna and state native Elaine McMillion Sheldon. It examines the issues facing McDowell County residents and the reasons behind the massive exodus from the area over several decades. Hollow won a Peabody award in 2013 and was nominated for an Emmy in 2014. An exhibit in the Downtown Campus Library Atrium showcases the participatory project.

Images from the documentary Hollow adorn a wall in the Downtown Campus Library Atrium, photo by Alyssa Wright.

During colonial times, agricultural products were stored and transported in heavy wooden barrels or boxes. By the mid-1850s, cotton bags became the preferred method of transporting flour, sugar, seed, animal feed, and fertilizer. Especially in rural communities, these bags, commonly known as feed sacks, were reused to make clothing, curtains, sheets, towels, quilts and more. (To see a fantastic example of a feed sack dress, take a look at this dress made for the 1959 Cotton Bag Sewing Contest, preserved by the National Museum of American History.) Company logos printed on the bags with water soluble inks could be removed by soaking the bags in a combination of lye, soap, and bleaching agents. By the end of the 1950s, almost all of the products previously packaged in cotton bags were sold in paper or plastic sacks which were cheaper to produce and considered more sanitary.

The S. George Company in Wellsburg, West Virginia printed company logos on paper flour barrel labels and paper flour sacks by using metal and wood engravings. Amazingly, many of these engravings survive today and are preserved in the GramLee Collection, curated at WVU’s College of Creative Arts. Some S. George Company flour sack proofs made for West Virginia mills and businesses are now in the WVRHC’s A&M 3868.

Cropped image of an S. George Company flour sack proof for a Moundsville, WV brand (from A&M 3868)

The Downtown Campus Library is looking for 10 students to participate in a discussion about textbook prices and alternatives on Sept. 7.

Did You Know?

The College Board estimated that the average undergraduate paid $1,225 for textbooks and supplies in 2014–15.

The cost of textbooks is rising at a rate of 4 times inflation.

Seven out of 10 students don’t purchase a required textbook during their academic career because of cost.

Experts from the University of Minnesota’s Open Textbook Network will be on campus and we would like to give students an opportunity to talk about how the cost of textbooks affect them.

Where: Downtown Campus Library, Room 2036

When: Wednesday, Sept. 7, 5-6 p.m.

If you have a story to tell, please sign up here. Space is limited to 10 students. Dinner will be provided for all participants. If you have questions, please contact Genifer Snipes, chair of the WVU Libraries Open Educational Resources Committee, at 304-293-4240 or genifer.snipes@mail.wvu.edu.